Strip coiling machine



April 21, 1936- |v:. w. MlKAELsN ET AL y 2,038,305

STRIP co'ILING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2s, '1954 MW wv.

km .W In? w l y /Q 'b Li ad April 2.1, 1936.

E. W. MIKAELSON ET AL STRIP COILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 213 1.936 E.`w. MlKAl-:LsoN E-r AL 2,038,305

5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 25, 1954 April21,1936. E. w. WKAELSON Em 2,033,305

STRIP COILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 23, 1934 5 sheets-Sheet 4 April 21, 1936. E. wQMlKAELsoN ET AL- 2,038,305

STRIP.' coILING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2s, 1934 5 sheets-sheet 5- l Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT y ()FFI'CE STRIP COILING MACHINE Erik W. Mikaelson, Easton, Pa.,` and Alexander K. Hamilton, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Treadwell Engineering Company, Eastom Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania' Application January 2s, 1934, serlaiNo. 101,980 l 8 Claims. (Cl. 153-54) This invention relates to mechanism for coily'a manner quite different from the manner in ing strip. 4 f

' Sheet metal ln strip form is now produce in large quantities and issupplied to manufacturers of various types of articles for further fabrication. The finished strip 'or narrow sheet is the product of rolling operations in which a billet of considerable size is.conve,rted into the form of a thin relatively narrow strip of comparatively great length. In nearly all cases the strip, as it comes from the rolling mill, is too long to permit its handling or shipment when it is in extended condition, and hence it is customary to provide, in conjunction with mills for rolling strip of this nature, coiling machines which receive freshly rolled strip as they come successively from the mill andform them into coils, each strip being formed intoA a separate coil. Where the coiler is positioned in close proximity to a mill rolling hot materials, a water spraying device may be located between the two and a suilcient amount of water sprayed onto the strip passing from the mill to lower its temperature to such extent 'that it will retain its bend after passing the guide leading to the coil carrying rolls of the coiler. In its coiled condition the strip may be readily handled, packed for transportation, and transported to the point at which it is to be ultimatelyfabricated into metal articles, or it maybe subjected to the action of a pickling bath to remove scale and then subjected to further rolling operations. The

present invention relates particularly to a strip bending mechanism, that'is, an improved mech- A anism for continuously bending o r curving the strip just prior to the actual formation of the coil. By its use Vthe operator of the machine is enabledv to bend with equal facility, and -to the exact degree desired, strips which vary in thickness, chemical composition, and elastic limit, the bending apparatus being susceptible of adjustment in a novel manner vwith this end in view. It will be appreciated that it may be quite necessary, in placing the desired permanent curvature in a strip .having certain chemical and physical characteristics, to causehe, bending mechanism itself to act upon'such a Stripin which the same bending mechanism must be caused to act upon a strip of different thickness and physical and chemical characteristics.

Coiling machines of previously known type 5 have'been capable -of coiling` strip varying in physical and chemical characteristics but, 'by reason of the`design and arrangement of the bending rolls of such machines, great diillculties have been met with in actual operation. Thus, in the case of the coiling machine heretofore most commonly used, certain relative adjustments ofthe bending rolls to impart the desired curvature to strip having certain physical and chemical characteristics have brought them into such relationship that proper entry of the leading edge of a rapidly oncoming strip between the bending rolls has very frequently not been realized, with resulting injury 'to the machine and destruction of valuable strip. I'his difficulty has 20 `ing mill velocity. 1

In accordance with this inv/entiomay bending. apparatus is provided which is readily adaptable in this respect, and with slight loss of time its operator may eifect all adjustments necessary to convert the machine from one having a bending mechanism particularlyA arranged for the bending of one kind of strip, into a bending mechanism particularly adapted for the satisfactory and eflicient bending of an entirely different kind of strip, the machine permitting free entry of the leadingfedge of a strip for all possible relative adjustments of its rolls.

The invention-further contemplates an improved coil receiving and supporting means. As the strip emerges from' 'the bending apparatus with the desired curvature therein, it passes into a space in which` it actualy forms itself into a coil. Several important improvements have been made in the coil forming mechanism whereby the operator has greater control over the coiling operation and a better product is insured. The means for laterally guiding and supporting the coil and the incoming curved strip particularly has been improved so that coils of large diameter and formed from relatively narrow strips can be easily built up.'

l leading edge of an oncoming strip, and pinch 'rollsfor gripping the blank after it is passed over such guiding means .and positively feeding the 'same through the bending mechanismv and thence to 'the coiling space. In accordance with our present invention, improvements have been made in the guide, in the pinch rolls, and in the .deiiecting meanswhereby these several parts are caused to function more eiiiciently and satisfactorily than heretofore.

Many other improvements to various parts of the machine are contemplated by the invention, and in particular novel mountings for the various strip engaging rollers have been provided `whereby the rollers are satisfactorily supported against end thrust during operation of the machine but at the same time are readily removable so that they may be individually removed whenever necessary or desirable and without disturbing or dismantling any portions of the machine except the roll mountings.

In the accompanying drawings a strip coiling machine is illustrated, and in this machine are incorporated the various features of our invention. It is, of course, true that these features of novelty may be included in strip coiling machines which .diifer widely in appearance from that which is set forth in the drawingsby way of example and that, in adapting the inventions to coiling machines of different design and type, the various component elements of the invention may 'be considerably modied as to design and arrangement without departing from the invention in substance.A

In the drawings: Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of the strip coiling mechanism selected for disclosure by way of example; Figure 2 is a side view of the same, partially iown in elevation and partially shown in sec- Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine;

Figure 4 is a section online 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of YFigure 2;

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 5 of Figure 5;

Figure I is a section on line 'I-l of Figure 5;

' Figure 8 shows a detail;

Figure 9 is a section on line 9--9 bf Figure 4; FigurelO isa diagrammatic view showing the usual relative positioning of the threev bending rolls of a coiling machine of the prior art; and

Figures 11 and 12 indicate diagrammatically two possible positions of relative" adjustment of the bending rolls of the improved coiling machine.

While the frame of the machine may be formed in various ways, it may conveniently be construct- Ved as shown in the drawings, having spaced vertically disposed and generally parallel supporting vpede'stals III and II, upon the upper surfaces of which is mounted the horizontally extending cap ,s portion I2. The cap I2 may be a one-piece casting or may be formed of several smaller members secured together as by bolting. The strip bending mechanism comprises three rolls, the upper roll A and the lower rolls B and C, the strip S vwhich is being fed' into the machine to be coiled i between the upper roll A and the lower rolls B and C, as shown in Figure 4 and in Figures -12 inclusive, and the desired curvature being imparted to the strip as it passes through this mechanism. To the right of the bending rolls, Figure 4, is the feed mechanism including the pinch rolls D and E which frictionally grip the strip between them to feed the same through the bending mechanism. Located just above the bending mechanism is the coil carrying mechanism, and in Figure 4 of the drawings the leading edge of blank S is shown to becoiled, this leading edge forming the innermost convolution of the coil which may be subsequently built up into a relatively large annulus, having an outside diameter dependent upon the length of the strip from which itis formed. The completed coil is discharged from the coil carrying space by a suitable mechanism immediately after the coiling operation is concluded, thusv clearing the machine for a further coiling operation.

Strips freshly produced by rolling operations pass into the strip feeding means of the coiling machine, being advanced along horizontal trackways to the machine by mechanisms not shown, and moveinto the coller in'the direction of the arrow T, Figures 1 and 4. The machine itself has a portion I3 which acts as a strip supporting and guiding member, this member I3 being in eifect a continuation of any desired type of strip conveyor. After the leading edge of a strip passes over the member I3 and over a-hinged continuation Il thereof, it enters between and is engaged by pinch rolls D and E which are positively driven at the desired speed and act to feed the strip forlwardly over an intermediate guide I5 to the bending rolls A, B, and C previously referred to. The pinch rolls are relatively adjustable, the upper pinch roll D (Figure 7) having its reduced ends carried in rectangular blocks I6 and I1 suitably fastened to the cap I2 of the frame or housing. The upper pinch roll is therefore fixed in position. The ends of the lower pinch roll E are rotatably mounted in rectangular blocks IB and I9 carried by a pinch roll supporting frame 20 extending transversely of the machine.

Frame 20 has projections 20'4 at its ends, which projections are, respectively, provided with approximately hemispherical recesses underneath, each of which receives the rounded upper end of a short strut 2 I. The lower ends of struts 2l are similarly rounded and are received within spherical recesses formed in the upperv sides of levers 22 respectively, one end of each of these levers being iixed on cross shaft 23 so that the levers are constrained'to act in unison in their rocking movements about the axis of shaft L23. Posi-` tioned beneath one or both of levers 22 is a power cylinder, these cylinders being indicated vat 24 and the pistons therein being indicated in dotted lines at 25 in Figures 3 and 5. Extending between each piston 25 and the lever 22 located above the same is an adjustable pitman 2G, the ends of each such pitman being rounded. A plurality of spherical recesses 22' are formed upon the lowerl sides of levers 22, and the upper ends of the pitman may be adjusted from one pair of recesses 22 to another with the result of iting the upward movements of levers 22 underthe influence of the pressure cylinders and hence limiting the upward travel of the lower pinch roll.

The meansfor supplying the pressure cylinders 24 with fluid or .gas under pressure is not illustrated, but it will be understood that any suitable movable part 30 and a stationary part 3l.

meansmay be employed to simultaneously introduce fluid under' the pistons 25 and to simultaneously exhaust the fluid from under the pistons. By varying. the'uid pressure and adjusting the position of the pitman 26, it is possible to vary as desired the pressureof the lower pinch roll upon a strip passing between it and the upper pinch roll. In its rising and falling movements, the pinch roll and the carrying frame 20 effect vertical movement of the adjacent portion of 4the strip supporting guide, the bracket-like supporting plate I5 previously referred to being rigidly mounted 4upon frame 20 and the free end of the hinged section I4 of the supporting guide being supported by4 frame 20. When the pinch roll'E is lowered, therefore, the adjacent guide portions l will be lowered, and hence tlfe strip S may pass' lower reach of each sprocket chain is downwardly and forwardly inclinedf and shaft 34 is positively driven in the direction of the arrow V.

and at a sumciently high angular velocity to insure that the lower reach of each chain moves. in the direction of the pin'ch rolls at a linear speed higherthan the speed of advancement of the leading edge of the strip S'. The driving means for shaft 14' is shown in Figure 1 andis seen to comprise Va chain an'd sprocket connection 36 to an eirtel'ision of the upperpinch roll. Any suitable means may, of course, be employed to drive thechains I2. The stationary member 3|, previously referred to, comprises a series of fingers lying betweenv chains 32y which serve to guide the strip in passing -from the chains'to the pinch rolls.

After passing between the bending rolls, by means of which the strip is given a permanent curvature ,in a manner-*hereinafter to be morefully-explained, it passes upwardly into the coiling space, and to insure that it shall passupwardiy in the desired manner, as-shown in Fig- .ure 4, a curvedmguide is provided, this guide com` prlsing a transverse member 40 supported upon the lower ends'of curved arms 4| the upper ends of these arms being fixed on cross shaft 42 supported' in bearingson the frame. Integral with transverse guide member 4Dand projecting downw'ardlyV therefrom are-the curved guide fingers 43, the lower ends or tips of which terminate just short of the rolly B when the larms 4| are in the positions illustrated in Figure 4, that is, while the initial convolutions of the coil are being' formed.

A coil delivery platform is indicated at 44, and

tbs platform is provided with-notches -or recesses 41|'v to permit free passage of fingers 43 as the arms 4| move upwardly and downwardly.

. Also mounted upon arms 4I are thecoil-guidactuating rod 49 ing rolls 45 and 46.-. A further coil guiding roll is indicated at 41, this roll being mounted upon a ,horizontally reciprocable coil discharging head 48. Head 48 is slidable in the frame and has an acylinder5l. y

Means (not illustrated) is provided for sup-y connected to a piston 56' in plying fluid underl pressure to the opposite ends of Ithe cylinder to effect reciprocation of the piston as desired and movements of the head 48. Also rotatably mounted in the frame are two lower coil carrying rolls 52 and 52,' which bear the weight of the -eoil during the time that it is held within the coiling machine. As the diameter of the coil increases, it tends to raise arms 4|,

acting first through roll 45 and then through roll 4.6. It is the primary function of the Astructure comprisingarms 4| and rolls -45 and 46 to prevent the coil from falling or jumping out of 'the coiling space, due to possible unevenness and high speed of rotation. As the coil appreaches maximum diameter, it is also guided by' roll 41 in its rotational movement.

The weight of rolls 45 and 46 together with arms 4I and the guide afiixed to the lower'endA of these arms is, in the average case, carried by lthe coil',

and if desired the pressure upon the coil can be increased by the action of :duid pressure upon piston 55 in cylinder 56. Cylinder 5| is supported by the frame, and piston 50 is -providedwith a piston rod 51 projecting through the end of the cylinder and connect by a pin and slot connection with an arm 58 also fixed on cross shaft 42. Means (not illustrated) is provided for introducing fluid under pressure into the cylinder upon either side of the piston and for simultaneously exhausting the opposite end of the cylinder. By this mechanism the guide rolls 45 and 46 may Vbe caused to bear upon the coil in process of for- .mation with greater or less pressure as desired,

in some instances it being considered advisable to increase the pressure upon the coil and in other instances to substantially relieve it. The powermeans just describedalso is called into operation when .it is desired to lift the arms 4I to clear the completed coil prior to the actuation of the head -48 to push this coil out of the coilforming s ce and onto the inclined platform 44 down whic it rolls to suitable receiving apparatus. y

During the formation of the coil, it is highly desirable that it be conned laterally on the-carrying rolls, particularly where coils are being `formed from relatively narrow strips, In order to` thus laterally confine the coil, we provide lateral guiding discs 65 and 66. These discs are similarly formed and mounted. Each is fixed upon the endv of a short shaft 61 rotatably mounted in bearings supported upon a pedestal 68 which is `in turn slidably supported upon the top of the cap I2 of the frame or housing. Each pedestal 68 also supports a casing 69 which encloses and supports reduction gearing, indicated generally at 10, and

a variable speed electric motor 'Il provided for the purpose of driving shaft 61 and hence disc 65 at any desired angular velocity.l Pedestal1 68 may bemoved toward the coiling space or away from lthe same by any suitable mechanism, as for instance by means of the threaded shaft 12 which projects through an interiorly threaded aperture formed in the7 downward i,extension 68' of the pedestal. A hand wheel`13 is providedV for rotating shaft 12, but vpower means such as an electric motor may be provided if desired. It will beA observed from an inspection of Figures v1 and 2 that theshafts upon which the-discs G5 andl 66 are mounted are disposed at vslight and similar angles to the -path of movement of afstrip through the machine and that the inner guiding faces of discs .65 and 66 are not parallel but, on the other hand, diverge outwardly. The .guiding facesV of the discs are, however, vertically disposed at all During the formation of a coil, the/'discs 8 and '68 are spaced aparta sumcient distance o provide a clearance between each disc and the nearest portion of the' coil. As the coil approaches maximum diameter, so that its central axis approaches the axes of rotation of the discs, the discs may be rotated in the direction'that the coil 'is being revolved and at such angular velocity which includes as its principal elements the bending rolls A, B, and C,'it will be seen from an inspection of Figures 3, 5, and 6 that the upper roll A is axed roll, its ends being rigidly mounted in y the top or cap portion I2 of the housing. T'he lower rolls B and C are, however, both adjustable,

the ends of rolls B being rotatably supported in chucks 88 which4 are in turn supported adjustably in the frame members |8 and the ends of roll C being also mounted in adjustably supported chucks 8|. The chucks 88 and 8| on opposite sides of the machine may be identical', and each pair of chucks is housed within a substantially rectangular aperture 82 formed in membersl|8 and il, guide plates such as 88 being provided on opposite sides of each such aperture to later-` ally confine the chucks while permitting adjustment thereof in the plane of the frame member.

Chuck 8| is supported upon the :upper end of a threaded shaft 84, which shaft is prevented from rotation by means of a key 85 supported in a stationary sleeve 88 and projecting into a keyway in the shaft. It may be raised or lowered, however, by means of an interiorly threaded nut 81 positioned below the stationary sleeve and rotatably carried by the frame. Nut 81 isprovided with external worm teeth 88 which mesh with they teeth of a worm 88 i'lxed upon shaft 88 extending transversely of the machine and having a hand wheel 8l fixed on its outer end. By rotating the hand wheel 8|, the nut 81 may be revolved and the threaded vertical shaft' 84, with its superpoeed chuck 8|, may be raised or lowered as-desired;

The weight of chuck 88 is carried by a simnar vertically disposed threaded shaft u', which shaft also has threaded engagement with a nut 81' similar to the nut 81 and also rotatably suppported by the frame, nut.81' having externalv worm'teeth 82 which likewise mesh with the teeth of worm 88. Rotation of shaft 88 there'-v fore effects not only the rotation of nut 81 but also of nut 81' and the simultaneous raising or lowering of threadedshafts 84 and 84' together ,with the chucks 88 and'8l which they respectively support. Superposed upon nut 81"is' a third sleeve 88 provided with a key 84 whichl projects within a keyway formed in the shaft 84',

vthe cylindrical interior surface of sleeve 8 3 not being threaded, however, and there being a clearance between this surface and the threads formed exteriorly upon the shaft 84. Sleeve 88 is provided with external worm teeth 88 ,which meshwith the teeth of a worm 88 fl'xed-on shaft.

81, tothe end of which is fastened a hand wheel 88. Rotation of hand wheel 88, therefore, causes rotation of sleeve 88 andaxiai movement of shaft l84' by reason" of the fact that shaft 84' has threaded engagement with the loger nut 81',

7a which nut is locked against rotation, so far as 2,oss,sos

lthe operation of worm 88 is concerned, by means of worm 88. Rotation of hand wheel 88, there fore, will effect raising and lowering of chuck 88 and bending roll B alone, while rotation of Shaft while shaft 91 is statiOnal'y will effect 8 simultaneous upward'or downward movement' as desired of both chucks 88 and 8| and bending rollsB and C. It will be understood that shafts 88 and 81 vextend transversely of the machine from frame member |8 to frame member and that similar chuck raising, and lowering mechanisms `are positioned in both of these frame members so that, by the rotation of'hand wheels 8| or 88, the rolls B and C might be simultaneously elevated or depressed, or the roll B elevated or depressedb'yv itself, 'the axes of thes'e rolls be'- ing at all'times in parallel relationship to the' axis of roll A.

By referring to Figure 9, the mechanism for simultaneously or individually adjusting the rolls bodily in a vertical direction may be more clearly understood, shafts 88 and 81 being completely illustrated. From this illustration it may be per-l ceived also that it is possible to vertically adjust one end of each roll with respect to the other end of the same roll.- Thus the worms 88 and' 88 to the left (Figure 9) are loose on shafts 88 and' 81 and are connected to these shafts through detachable coupling members 88' and 88'. .By removing the bolts which secure coupling member 88', for instance, the angular relationship of the shaft 88 and the left-hand worm may changed as desired by rotating the shaft 8 I After the adjustment of roll C has been effected, theD coupling 88' may again be bolted in position, thus completing'the adjustment. During the rol tation of shaft 88 in effecting the adjustment of roll C, adjustment of screw 84' in housing isV also brought about,thus causing movement of one end of roll B with respect to the other. To readjust this roll B to original position, coupling 88' is disconnected from shaft 81 and the ad justment carried out as in the case of roll C. Naturally rotation of shaft 88 with one worm disconnected effects vertical movement of the right-hand end of roll C while the left-hand end remains stationary. The same method of adjustment may be carried out with respect to the roll B whenever necessary.

The chucks 88 and 8| merely rest upon the upper ends of threaded shafts 84fand 84. not being afhxed thereto, and are= adjustable horizontally as well as vertically in the recess 82. In addition to the chucks 88 and 8|', the recess in'- clu'desthe liners |88, |8|, and |82. -The space. between the vertical sidewalls of the 'recess 82 is completely. filled by the chucks and the liners taken togetherV and, should there b'e any slight looseness, it is taken up' by means of the pressure screws |88 which pass through the frame member and bear against the surfaces offchucks 88. Each of the liners is removable and replaceable by a liner of different thickness, and'by properly selecting liners of the desired thickness,

the axes of rolls B and C maybe horizontally 0 adjusted as desired, within limits. lThus, by increasing the thickness" of liner 8|, the axes of these rolls may bemoved farther apart, and by decreasing the thickness of this liner, that is, bysubstituting a thinner liner, the axes of these rolls may be caused to approach each other. Naturally the substitution, of one liner` |8| for another of different thickness at this position will require the substitution for either liner |88 or |88 ycfathickerorthinnerliner asthecasemlvbml s,oss,sos

In a'similarmanner the liner |02 may be removed and one -ofa different thickness inserted. Ifathinnerlineris'inserted.theaxisof rollC will bemoved to the right (Figure 5) while if a thicker liner is inserted, it will be moved to the left. Similarly, by the manipulation of the liners, the axis of roll B may be movedvto .the light or to the left as desired. Upon, the chuck is adjustably supported a small shoe or intermediate guide |04 for guiding the leading edge of a blank so as to pass over roll B after having provided with a thrust bearing, and in the case of the carrier roll shown in Figure 6, this thrust passed roll C, guide |04, of course, extending from may beadjusted vertically independently or roll C by manipulating thehand wheel 98. In other words, by the mechanism just described the operator is enabled to adjust the positions of rolls bearing includes a thrust disc I3 secured upon the reduced terminal end portion |20 of the roll by means or' a nut |2|. Thrust washers |22 and |23 are positioned on opposite sides of the thrust disc Ila, these thrustwashers being free to rotate relatively to the disc, washer |22 fitting against tne end cover I and washer |23 against the outer end of the liner ||5. Ordinarily there is not very much end thrust upon the lcarrier rolls. but by the .thrust `bearing shown, any such end thrust lis reauny taken up while at the same time the roll` is rree to expand or contract lengthwise without crowding in its bearings. `In removing the carrier roll, itwill beunderstood that the coupling member ||3 ailixed to itsleft-hand end is rst de.-

tached. Both carrier rolls 52 and '52' Aare similarly mounted and both are provided with thrust` l bearings and end covers as abdve described.

The top bending roll A is supported by means of underhung supporting caps |30, the edges of which are provided with ilanges |30' which fit in grooves formed in the housing to receive them;

The supporting cap |30 may be removed by B and C relatively. to each other and to the roll A in any desired manner, within the limits oi' the machine, to produce the proper'bending eiect upon the striplpassing'through. This is a function highly important to the operation of 'the machine. It will be understood, however, that while we have disclosed one eminently satisfactory mechanism --for the relative adjustment of the rolls in the speciiled manner,.other mechanlsmsfor accomplishing this object can be readily substituted therefor. Wedges might beemployed," for instance, to eiect horizontal adjustment of the chucks and the rolls supported thereby or other mechanical means chosen for this purpose. It is quite possible to use power operated means for` effecting the adjustment, if such adjustments are to be frequently made.

The pinch rolls and the bending rolls are positively driven by a suitable power means at the desired angular velocities. The driving motor is preferably an electric motor and is indicated at ||0 in Figure 1, this'motor being connected through conventional reduction gearing housed in plings H3 detachably mounted vupon the ends of the several rolls respectively. As may be seen from an inspection of Figures 6, 7, and 8 and portions of each roll are directly supported in -lining members. The carrier rolls 52xand 02' are readily removable from the frame. In Figure 6 one of these rolls is shown, its reduced left-hand end portion being mounted in a lining member I4 supported by the frame, and its reduced righthand end portion being supported in a liner' |'5 which is in turn carried by a sleeve ||6 mounted in the frame. The outerdiameter of sleeve ||8 is greater than the outer diameter'of the main portion of the carrier roll, and hence, after removal ofsleeve |.,|6 and liner IIB, the roll may be with-Y vdrawn through the right-hand cylindrical apertureinthe frame.

An end cover lfll closes the outer end of sleeve I'I6, this cover being bolted to the 4frame and normally preventing movement of the sleeve IIS. iAt theopposite end of the roll,

,a retaininglplate ||8 is provided for preventing escape of the liner ||4 from-the aperture in the frame in which it is positioned.

For taking up end thrust, each-of the rolls is other gures of the drawings, thereduced end moving it endwise outwardly after the end cover I3I, which is bolted to the frame, is removed.

' After detachment of.. the coupling 'from the other end oi' this bending roll (which is done if the coupling is too large in diameter to pass through the available space between the cap and the lower rolls after they have been loweredl, it may be loweredl and removed from the machine, provided, of course, that the lower bending rolls B through the bending rolls.

and C have first been lowered so as to permit the roll A to clear the machine. All three of the bending rolls A, B, vand C lare provided at theirv ends with thrust bearings substantially identical to that described in detail ini connection with the carrier roll illustrated in Figure 6-. The bottom bending ,rolls- B and C have their ends mount-v ed in the chucks 80 and 8|, respectively, and may be readily removed from the machine after detachment of the couplings ||3 aiiixed to the ends thereof respectively. It is not necessary in eiIecting removal of the bending rolls B and C to detach them from the chucks 80 -and 8|, but the rolls and chucks may be removedas units after the keeper plates 83 have been removed. The lower bending rolls, as lwell as the upper bending roll,'

are provided with thrust bearings.

In lthe operation of the machine the relative" positions of the lower bending rolls with respect to the upper bending roll may be varied as deof the metal of which the strip isfabricated is stressed beyond its elastic limit. Inthis manner the strip is given a permanent set. Ther amount 4 of permanent s et given the strip may be controlled by regulating the relative positions of the three rolls, and without increasing the difllculty involved in passing the leading edge of a blank Where bothrolls B and C are mounted on the common `support and are vertically adjusted simultaneously, a strip passing through .is given a considerable reverse bend, as shown in Figure 10, whenever it is desired to impart a rathersharp curvature thereto. This causes the leading Vedge of each fresh strip'to meet with dimculty in its initial passage through the rolls. Thus. as in- `of the second lower roll, as indicated in dotted lines. Where the strip is relatively stiff. great force must be exerted to overcome this resistance to entering, two sets of pinch rolls being sometimes required. .Y

As indicated iny Figures 11 and 12, however, the improved mounting for the lower rolls B and C permits the leading edge of an oncoming strip to pass freely between rolls A and C, no reverse bend in the strip being necessitated, and to strike roll B at a favorable angle. The amount of power necessary to force the strip through the rolls is thus minimized and the possibility that the leading edge of the strip be so far deflected that it will not pass between rolls A and B entirely eliminated. It will be observed that, when the rolls 'are adjusted to the positions in which they are shown in Figure 12, it is possible to elevate roll B relatively to roll A, to a greater extent than is the case with the roll arrangement of Figure 11.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by- Letters Patent is:

1. Strip coiling mechanism, including, in combination, three rollers, ha'ving parallel axes positioned to simultaneously act upon a strip passing between one of them and the other two, and

.means supporting said rollers whereby one of said last mentioned rollers may be bodily adjusted angularly of the iirst axis of the mentioned roller from one` operative position to another without altering the position of-.the second of said last mentioned rollers and whereby the secondv of said last mentioned rollers may be indi.- vidually adjustedV relatively to the other two rollers.

2. Strip coiling mechanism including, in combination, three elongated rollers positioned to simultaneously engage a strip passing between one of them and the other two, and means for supporting said rollers for relative adjustment whereby the angles of entrance and delivery may be varied as desired without varying the angle of bend.

3. Strip coiling mechanism including, in combination, a fixed roller and two adjustable rollers, the nxed roller being positioned to engage one 'side and the adjustable rollers the other side ot a strip, and supporting means for the adjustable rollers whereby one of said last mentioned rollers may be caused to approach or recedefrom the fixed roller or may be moved angularly relatively to the xed'roller.

'4. Strip coiling mechanism including, in combination, a strip guide, a plurality of bending rolls positioned. to receive and act upon a strip delivered by the guide, pinch rolls anterior to the bending rolls, a frame, 'and means carried by the frame for supporting the bending rolls and pinch rolls, said means permitting removal of the pinch and bending rolls from the path of strips delivered by the guide, thereby permitting passage of the work directly through the machine.

5. Strip coiling mechanism including mecha- ,nism for horizontally delivering strip, three horizontally disposed rollers, an upper roller and two lower rollers, for continuously acting upon and bending a strip as it passes from said mechanism and between the-upper miler and the two lower rollers, and means supporting said rollers, the upper roller being supported to rotate about a tlxed axis and each of4 the lower rollers being horizontally and vertically adjustablerelatively to the upper roller.

6. Strip coiling mechanism comprising means for guiding a strip along a predetermined path,

for guiding a strip along a predetermined path, three rollers positioned adjacent the endof said guide means so as to act upon a strip issuing from said guide means and passing between one of them and the other two, the axes of said rollers being parallel and the two last mentioned rollers being supported so as to be adjustable in directions normal and parallel to the path of movement of the work to change as desired the relative positions of the rollers with respect to each other.

, 8. Strip c oiling mechanism comprising means for guiding a strip along a. predetermined path,

three rollers 'positioned adjacent the delivery end of said guide means so as to act 'upon a stripissuing from said means and passingbetween one roller and the other two, the axes of said rollers being parallel and one of said last mentioned rollers being adjustably supported so that its axis may be adjusted anguiarly about the axis of said first mentioned roller.

.ERIK W. MIKAELSON.

ALEXANDER K. HAMILTON. 

